The Jedi's Secret
by WhatWouldReyloDo
Summary: This is how I would have imagined TFA if Rey's parents took her to Luke's academy when she was younger and if Snoke never reached into Kylo Ren's mind, convincing Luke that Kylo Ren was going to the dark side. This story begins by taking place at Luke's academy, where an unlikely and unexpected pair are forced to team up. They train and run missions together, however; working side
1. Chapter 1

Rey woke up to the two suns shinning into her room. She knew she would probably need to get up soon to attend her training. She starred at her ceiling for a few moments, wondering what today's training offered.  
She was tired, but nonetheless threw the covers off herself and began her usual routine. She had been training and studying at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy for about 10 years now. She could now barley remember her parents taking her here in their ship and leaving her here without much as a word to why. When Rey was younger she always knew she was different than other kids, however; Rey never realized why until she was brought here and taught the ways of the Jedi.  
Her closest ally and friend was Jedi Maris Brood. While Maris had quite a confusing and tough background, surviving order 66, having not one, but two Jedi Masters that were training her killed, she struggled very much with the temptation of the dark side for a long time. Until Luke had found her and brought her back to the reality that the Jedi are good and they make and keep the peace in the many universes. That the balance needed to be restored and the only way to make things right again was to help train young force-sensitive users.  
Rey took a particular liking to her because she thought of Maris as being more of a grey Jedi. She liked that Maris was somewhere in the middle of things. Rey thought it was more relatable. Plus, Maris is a very skilled Jedi and has taught Rey many things. Since Maris knew much about being on the dark side she knew how to suppress and control the temptation, thanks to a lot of time and patience. She knew warning signs before many did.  
After Rey had finished showering, she grabbed a towel and quickly dried her hair. She put on a pair of lighter grey pants, a dark grey long-sleeved shirt, and threw on a light thin vest overtop. She slid on a pair of black boots and was out the door.  
It was a beautiful day outside and the warmth from the two suns felt nice on her skin. It was warm outside, but not hot like Jakku had been. Rey walked along one of the several paths in the small-town Luke had created. It wasn't anything extravagant, it didn't need to be. It served one purpose and one purpose alone. To teach the ways of the Jedi to force-sensitive races. There was maybe about 50 people and creatures in this little town. Once a month most of the Jedi Knights would leave camp to go get supplies. Every so often they might make a trip to bring back younglings to train, however this was rather rare.  
She wondered how her parents had heard of this place. Her thoughts plunged into the deep ocean that was her parents. The older she got the less she remembers about them. This not only made her sad, but it also angered her. She did not understand why they left her here with no explanations, why they never came to visit. She wondered if maybe her parents were Jedi. Was that how they knew about Luke's Academy?  
Wham.  
"Ooof." Rey grunted as she fell to the ground.  
Rey had been so busy and distracted thinking about her parents she had not even been paying attention to where she was walking. She looked up to see Kylo Ren. He was one of the several Jedi Knights at Luke's Academy. Rey had never worked with or had even really been introduced to him. Kylo Ren pretty much kept to himself and even when surrounded by the other Jedi Knights, he spoke very little. He was tall and his longer hair cascaded around his face. His facial features were sharp and unforgettable. He had broad shoulders and thick arms. Rey thought he was actually quite stunning.  
As he extended his hand he spoke to Rey for the first time since she had been at the academy. "Sorry about that." His voice was velvety and smooth. She reached up to take his hand. As she did she felt an odd sensation course through her body and mind. Her brow furrowed as Kylo helped her stand up. Judging by Kylo Ren's reaction, or lack thereof, he did not experience the same odd sensation she had. They let go hands and Ren walked right past her. She stared at his back as he walked away. She wondered what that strange feeling that had overcome her body was about. She had never felt anything like that. Honestly, Rey couldn't even really explain what exactly it was that she had felt.  
Before she could ponder the subject anymore she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Maris. Maris smiled at her. Her thin long black braids were in a low ponytail. Small red spikes protruded from her widow's peak and the middle part in her hair. She wore dark eyeshadow and a dark red lipstick. She was wearing a leather top with thick straps and a black rope necklace. She had matching leather pants and a leather belt with holsters in which her two lightsabers hung from. She had nicely polished black boots on to complete her look. Maris truly was one of a kind.  
"Are you ready?" Maris asked Rey. Rey turned her head around to look for Kylo Ren, but she did not see him. Rey gave a small smile and nodded. Together they walked into their usual training room.  
As they entered Rey saw several others sitting upon thick circular pillows in large circle on the floor. Maris had six students. Typically, this was very unusal for a Jedi Knight to have more than one padawan at a time. However, after Order 66, Jedi Knight's were far and few between. Luke believed that currently the most effective way to train younglings was to assign several students to one Jedi Knight.  
As Rey sat on top of the only empty pillow left in the circle, Maris walked into the middle of the pillow surrounded circle.  
"We are going to meditate today. I want you all to search your feelings and reach out." Maris took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she sat down on a pillow in the middle of the circle. "Clear your minds. Let go of anything you are holding onto that may have a negative impact on your feelings and actions."  
Rey readjusted her position, crossing her legs. She placed a hand on each knee and sat up straight. She took a deep breath and focused on her breathing. She turned off any noises from other students readjusting their own positions and the animals making noises outside. Rey quieted her mind. She tried to clear the sadness and anger she had been feeling earlier when she was thinking about her parents. It took her a bit of time, but she felt relived once she had let go. Rey slowly drew in a deep breath. As she released it she reached out with her mind. It was almost as if something was calling to her. She turned her head to the side, eyes still closed shut. This had never happened to her while she was mediating or even when she wasn't for that matter. Her brows furrowed in confusion. She wanted to reach out further to investigate.  
"What a calming thing meditation is." Maris's voice broke the mediation and the silence. Rey opened her eyes to see Maris staring directly at her. Maris stood up. You all may take a break. I'll see you all this afternoon for some physical training." All of Maris's students began to get up and leave the meditation room. Just before Rey was about to exit, Maris spoke again. "Except you, Rey. I would like a moment of your time please."  
"Of course." Rey said as she turned around.  
"How was your meditation today?" Maris asked. Rey still answered even though she knew that Maris already had the answer to her question.  
"It was fine." Maris gave her an intriguing look. "It was difficult at first, trying to clear certain feelings I was having." Maris put a hand on shoulder. She gave a light smile.  
"It's ok to be angry Rey." This was why Rey loved Maris as her trainer. "It is however, not okay to let your anger control you. Keep it in check." Rey nodded. Maris took her hand off of Rey's shoulder and she walked over to one of the tall windows in the room. Maris leaned a shoulder up against it and stared outside. "Is there anything you wish to talk to me about?" This caught Rey quite off guard. She stammered at first.  
"Uh, no-no I do not believe so." Rey's face slightly flushed with color. A few moments went by before Maris said or did anything.  
"Very well." Maris said as she uncrossed her arms. "You may go." She said, still looking out the window.  
"Thank you." Rey replied as she bowed and exited the room. Rey walked into the large hallway where she glanced up at the high ceilings where the sunshine came pouring through. She looked at one of the large pillars and her eyes followed the pillar to its base. To her surprise she saw Kylo Ren leaning up against one talking to a padawan. Curiously, as she walked, she watched their interaction. He was talking to a young female Zabrak. Rey did not know her. She looked about 14 or 15. All the Jedi were training groups of padawans around the same age group. It was very rare that during training you would interact with other Jedi Masters or their students. Rey really only truly knew about 7 or 8 of those here in the academy. Nearly everyone kept to themselves.  
Just as Rey was about to pass into Kylo's field of vision she looked at her feet as she began to exit the large building to get back to her room. As she began to push the door open she turned her head to look back. With the door pushed halfway open, she stopped moving. Surprised to see that Kylo was no longer leaning a shoulder against the pillar while talking to the Zabrak. The Zabrak was gone and Ren's back was leaned against the pillar with his arms crossed staring directly at Rey. They stood staring at each other for only fractions of a second before Ben uncrossed his arms and disappeared behind the pillar.  
Confused, Rey pushed the rest of the door open and walked outside. Rey had come across Kylo many times during her years at the academy. They never talked or had exchanged looks, none that Rey could recall at least, until today.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ahh!" Rey cried out as Jido slammed into her side with a long wooden staff.

"Dead." Jido said with a coy smile. Rey drew in a death breath and glanced around the room. The other students were all practicing fighting, except instead of lightsabers, they were using long thick wooden staffs. Maris was circling around each of the groups studying their moves. Every once in a while, she would make a suggestion or step in for one of the students to show them how to better handle a certain scenario or a better way to approach an attack. The loud colliding of solid wood on wood was harsh on Rey's ears, but after time she had learned to tune it out and focus on the task at hand.

Rey felt a slight poke in the stomach. Jido had pushed the end of his staff against her stomach. She quickly maneuvered her staff to knock his away.

"I was only trying to get your attention so we could keep practicing." The Twi'lek said. Rey gave a weak smile and a flush of color filled Jido's cheeks. She couldn't stay focused on anything during this practice training session. Well, there was one thing she could focus on, but it certainly did not have to do with her training.

Maris's strong voice boomed through the room and struck both Rey and Jido by surprise. "Rey! Jido!" She roared as she began walking closer to the pair. "This isn't the time for you to chat like old friends. "She picked up the end of Rey's staff which had been resting on the padded floor. "Again." She demanded. They both nodded. They took a few steps away from each other before they began their dance. Circling around each other, trying to decide who would make the first move.

Jido lunged at Rey and she angled her staff down to evade his blow. She spun around preparing to make her own attack only to be met by another assult from Jido. Their staffs clashed hard. Rey planted her feet and used all her strength to shove her staff into Jido's, causing him to take a step back. Rey saw her opening and she stepped towards him. She lifted her staff ready to bare down on him. Jido was quick though. He held his staff above his head blocking her blow. Fast, he removed his staff from under Rey's, sliding to her left. Rey moved with Jido in unison. She turned just as he did. He began to swing his staff to hit her in her back. Jido was quick, but not as swift as Rey. She decided to turn the opposite direction and meet Jido's staff with her own.

She released a loud grunt and she struck the middle of his staff. With all her weight bearing down on Jido's she anticipated his move in preparation for her final assault. Jido withdrew his staff and as he did Rey wacked him in his right thigh. Jido grunted in pain as he dropped his staff and fell to the ground holding his leg.

"Wonderful execution, Rey." Maris exclaimed. Rey reached out a hand to help Jido up. Rey realized she may have hit him harder than she intended. It was times like this that Rey was glad they were required to wear padding, even though it made them all a bit slower. It certainly made the effects of the wooden staffs hurt much less.

Rey was breathing hard. She could feel the beads of sweat tricking down the center of her back and the sides of her temple. Her favorite part of being at the academy was the fake lightsaber training. Rey felt this was where she excelled the most.

As she walked towards the edge of the room she continued to hear the clanking of wood from the other students fighting. She grabbed her canteen of water and took several large swigs, she hadn't realized just how parched she was until the water hit her lips. She drank so eagerly that some of the water was spilling out on either side of her mouth and down onto her neck. When she was done drinking she wiped the access water away with the back of her sleeve. Her breathing had slowed down considerably.

"Alright, that's enough for today." Maris put her hands together. "You all did well today." Her eyes met Rey's. Maris spun around. "I'll see you all tomorrow morning for meditation." Rey breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes she felt as if she was never in good enough shape. Rey stayed leaned up against a wall as Maris approached her. "You could keep going." Confused, Rey stared at her. "You do not let on to how gifted you are with that." Maris said looking down towards Rey's staff. Rey did not know what to say so she kept quiet. Maris lifted her arm for Rey to hand her the staff. Maris took it and examined it for a moment before nearly beheading Rey. Luckily Rey had ducked down. Rey panicked.

"What are you doing?" She shouted. Maris laughed.

"Rey, you are not a good fighter." Maris smiled. "You are a great one. Far better than the rest of your fellow students." Rey was shocked. She had no idea what to say, she was truly speechless now. "Part of me wishes I could help continue to nurture just you. All of my students are extremely talented, however; you are something truly quite exceptional, Rey. Something I have not seem in many years." Maris's smiled disappeared and she looked down at the floor. "Sadly, we no longer live in a world in which there are enough Jedi Masters to teach all the padawans separately. She looked back up at Rey. Rey could have sworn she could see some wetness in Maris's eyes.

"It is because you are such a prize, that I cannot hold you back." Confusion sank into Rey.

"What do you-"

"Rey I cannot be your Master any longer. You need one on one training my dear." Maris smiled through her watery eyes. "You have been such a pleasure."

"Master Brood, what-"

"I have already talked to Master Luke as well as several other Jedi Masters. They all agree with me that you are far beyond your training. Staying with your fellow students in my class will not help you." She grabbed Rey's hand. "I have requested a new Master for you. You will be able to study one on one." Before Rey could protest Maris squeezed Rey's hand and let go. "This is what is best for you, Rey. It is what's best for the Resistance and the universe." Maris smiled once again at Rey. "We all want you to get out of here and join this fight." Maris grabbed Rey and hugged her. "That's where you belong." A few tears escaped Rey's eyes. She had known Maris for many years. She was Rey's mentor, all she had ever looked up to.

Maris broke their hug. "I will always be around for questions and guidance you may seek." Rey nodded. "Come on, let's get you out of here so you can wash off that pungent smell." Rey gave Maris a light shove on the arm and they laughed as they exited the training building.

Rey stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe she was no longer going to be training with Maris. It was all she could think about when she was in the shower. She took a deep breath, reminding herself this could be a good thing. Rey wanted to meditate on the subject to help her feel more positive and optimistic about her new situation. She was still a bit apprehensive. Luke was one of the best Jedi Master's out there. He was now going to train her. What if she did not live up to his expectations? That would be a hard pill for her to swallow if that ended up being the case.

She shook her head and threw some clothes on. The day was beginning to come to an end. She threw on a pair of dark green pants and a tight grey shirt. She slid a pair of boots on and headed to the meditation building. Her hair was still a bit damp. As she walked, every once in a while, she would feel a drop of water drip down her neck from the high bun her hair was in. She guessed she did not do a very good job trying to wring her hair out before leaving her room.

She strolled onward, passing several students as she went on her way. Finally, she reached the meditation building where she looked for an empty single room meant from solo mediation. She slid the door closed behind her and sat on the large circular ottoman in the center of the room. The sun was beginning to set, so Rey did not feel the need to pull the shade down and block the light surging in from the suns.

She sat crossed legged with her hands on her knees. Rey closed her eyes and straightened her back, rolling her head in a circular motion several times before taking a deep breath. Just before she began to meditate, a voice within the room broke the silence.

"Maris spoke very highly of you." Rey's eyes flew open only to be met by Kylo Ren lurking in the shadows.

"What're you doing in here?" Rey asked. How had she not heard him come in?

"I am observing my new padawan." Rey nearly chocked on the very air she was breathing. She thought for sure it was going to be Master Skywalker teaching her and not Kylo Ren. He stepped into the orangey yellow light streaming in from the suns setting. "Disappointed?" He asked.

"I was just… expecting someone else." Rey stated calmly.

"Hmm." Kylo Ren moved closer to her. She thought this was all some kind of weird joke. She had talked and interacted more with Ren today alone than probably all ten years she had been here. "Wondering how I got stuck with you?" Rey was taken aback by how brash Kylo was being.

"Uhm" Rey managed to squeak out.

Ren paced around Rey. "You see, I think this is some kind of test for me. I am the only Jedi who is not teaching a group of students. So," Kylo sighed, "I think this is Luke's way of determining if I can handle having my own padawan before giving me a whole handful of them. That's why I think he stuck me with you."

Rey uncrossed her legs and stood up. She took a step toward Ren. She studied his face. His dark hair and deep chocolate eyes drew her in. She was close enough that she could smell him. Everything about him was so inviting. His jawline was sharp, as if she ran her finger across it, she might get cut. His skin was pale, but beautiful. There were no marks or blemishes. His lips looked so soft and plump, they were such a light shade of pink.

"Rey?" She snapped out of that strange haze she was in.

"I uh, I need to go." Rey spun on her heel. "I don't feel well." She left Ren alone in the meditation room and briskly walked back to her room. Nearly a million things were racing through her head.


End file.
